Thanks for making the trip, Hawaii Prep basketball fans.
Ka Makani played like they were trying to reward anyone who wore a red shirt to the first round of the Hawaiian Airlines Division II boys basketball tournament at Kaimuki on Thursday, blowing out Kapaa 68-36. Hawaii Prep plays top seed St. Francis today at Kaimuki at 5 p.m.
The 15 red shirts stood out in the empty stands, and Hawaii Prep had a field goal for each of them midway through the second quarter. Things got a little tougher when a few red-clad Waianae fans showed up for the second game about midway through the fourth quarter, but by then Ka Makani had more than enough buckets to spare, hitting 29 field goals in all.
The sparse crowd was one of the few things Hawaii Prep had to worry about after playing before a packed gym in its conference tournament last week.
"The environment is a challenge," Hawaii Prep co-head coach Fred Wawner said. "You have to create your own energy and that was something we talked about and were aware of and I think our kids did a good job with it."
And how.
Jovan Crnic, who won the dunk contest at the Punahou Invitational in December, led the way with 11 of his game-high 15 points by the break, including a loud dunk midway through the second quarter to make it 31-12. Hawaii Prep kept building on the lead, with Nicolas Palleschi scoring six straight points for Ka Makani in the last 2:21. Hawaii Prep led 45-14 halfway through with 20 field goals, five of them from beyond the arc. Mercifully, Ka Makani would not make another long bomb in the second half.
Everyone got into the act for Hawaii Prep, with seven players scoring and the bench outscoring Kapaa by itself in the first half, 16-14. The Warriors rallied to outscore HPA’s bench 36-32.
"They just wanted it more than our guys did," Kapaa coach Philip Baclayon said. "They are a great team, I heard a lot about them on the Big Island and they jumped on us from the start."
KIF champion Kapaa (8-3) plays Waianae today in the consolation round at 5 p.m. at Kalani.
Ka Makani had 12 players score in the blowout, with Palleschi scoring 11 and Buck Thomas and Kama DeSilva each contributing eight. Kealii Colipano led Kapaa with eight points, but only two of them in the first half.
Hawaii Prep (10-4) took third place in the tournament last year in its first appearance at states. Ka Makani blew out Hanalani 69-55 last year before falling to McKinley. They will have to beat the top seed today to move farther than they did last year.
"We won one game but now it is on to the next," junior guard Kellen Gillins said. "It’s always fun to win but we have to look forward to the next game."
At Kaimuki
Hawaii Prep (10-4) 23 22 15 8 — 68
Kapaa (8-3) 8 6 9 13 — 36
HAWAII PREP—Jovan Crnic 15, Juan Yarawamai 0, Kellen Gillins 5, Buck Thomas 8, Kenji Stinson 0, Kalan Camero 2, Kama DeSilva 8, Hide Akai 3, Nicolas Palleschi 11, Eigoro Akai 2, Sefa Rocha-Tufaga 6, Cole Walter 2, Bo Bleckel 2, David Ovbagbedia 4, Colin Renfro 0.
KAPAA—Kealii Colipano 8, Brison Nacapuy 0, Kanai Thronas-Kahoonei 0, James Paik 4, Chester Dikilato 0, Angelito Roslin 0, Makana Artaho-Aki 7, Marlon Cudiamat 0, Daniel Reis 3, Lance Pepper-Miyashiro 6, James Stephens 2, Grant Mitchell 0, Matthew Cummings 0, Morean Clement 6.
3-point goals—Hawaii Prep 5 (Rocha-Tufaga 2, Crnic, Gillins, Thoma). Kapaa 3 (Colipano, Artaho-Aki, Reis).
St. Francis 64, Waianae 34
Matthew Nuumanaia scored 14 points and Keoni Tom-Millare added 13 as the Saints ran out to a 22-8 lead after the first quarter and never looked back.
Austin Ursua chipped in 11 points for St. Francis (10-0), which moves on to play Hawaii Prep at 5 p.m. today at Kaimuki.
Bronson Brown Kaopua led the Seariders (7-6) with eight points. It was Waianae’s first appearance in the state tournament since 1999. St. Francis made its first last year.
At Kaimuki
St. Francis (10-0) 22 13 15 14 — 64
Waianae (7-6) 8 8 7 11 — 34
ST. FRANCIS—Austin Ursua 11, Keola Kealoha 2, Kyle Lau 0, Sosiua Havea 0, Matthew Nuumanaia 14, Layne Akana 5, Shabir Lynton 10, Nayton Koki 0, Blayne Won 6, Janson Kupau 3, Keoni Tom-Millare 13, Kai Sun 0, Lachoneus Tautuiaka 0.
WAIANAE—Justin Kila 4, Tyger Rohr 6, Jamal Lopez 7, Wayne Silva 0, Makana Piilani 0, Cleg Borge 4, Natano Namulauti 0, Mahvan Tau 0, Austin Thomas 3, Jonathan Dannong 2, Bronson Brown Kaopua 8, Joe Garcia 0.
3 point goals—St. Francis 3 (Ursua, Nuumanaia, Akana) Waianae 4 (Rohr 2, Lopez, Thomas).
Seabury Hall 59, University 56, OT
The Spartans erased a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter and went on to beat the Junior ‘Bows in overtime.
Kaleb Palmer led Seabury Hall with 19 points and Cameron King added 15. The Spartans were 12-for-17 from the line, and the Junior ‘Bows went 15-for-25. Anthony Canencia led University with 28 points, 10 of them from the line.
The Spartans have been in the state tournament in each of the past five years but have never finished higher than fourth. They have to win one of their next two games to improve upon that. Seabury Hall moves on to play Kailua today at 7 p.m. at Kaimuki.
At Kalani
UHS (9-4) 17 13 8 12 6 – 56
SH (14-1) 12 10 9 19 9 – 59
UNIVERSITY—Chris Meyers 8, Eric Leung 5, Anthony Canencia 28, Reiner Jude Realubit 2, Ryan Kaleikini 13, Shaun Mahiko 0.
SEABURY HALL—Jordan Haylor 0, Max DeLyon 9, Nyck Yashiro 0, Cameron King 15, Kai Shibley 8, Rayson Sorayama 2, Kaleb Palmer 19, Daniel Goodfellow 0, Michael Clarion 6.
3-point goals—University High 3 (Canencia 2, Meyers), Seabury Hall 3 (King 2, DeLyon).
Kailua 47, Pahoa 42
Kekoa Ford scored 12 points and Mason Youart added 10 as the Surfriders survived the upset-minded Daggers.
Kailua (9-5) entered the fourth quarter with an 11-point lead but Pahoa rallied. Nicklas Fisher led the Daggers with 24 points and Tolby Saito added 15 on three 3-pointers and a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.
Kailua made more free throws (20-for-33) than Pahoa attempted (12-for-17).
At Kalani
PAHOA (8-6) 8 6 12 16 – 42
KAILUA (9-5) 10 11 16 10 – 47
PAHOA—Keinan Agonias 0, Christian Bartolome 0, Randin Napeahi 2, Tolby Saito 15, Jarrett Kamaka 0, Torrell Thomas 0, Kevin Lee 0, Joseph Lefiti 1, Nicklas Fisher 24.
KAILUA—Cason Kalei 0, William Kailimai 6, Eric Lavoie 2, Kawika Lewis 0, Matthew Bishop 2, Noah Auld 3, Christian-Taylor Scheer 3, Mason Youart 10, Kekoa Ford 12, Kirk Ronolo, Jr. 9.
3-point goals—Pahoa 4 (Saito 3, Fisher), Kailua 1 (Ford).
